Combination cabinet and extensible table



Dec. 26, 1950 H. MEDWIN 2,535,646

COMBINATION CABINET AND EXTENSIBLE TABLE Filed Nov. 25, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 :f6 INVENTOR. 9 "Hs/MAN Mfow/N.

ATTORNEY Dec. 26, 1950 H. Mi-:DwlN 2,535,646

COMBINATION CABINET AND EXTENSIBLE TABLE Filed NQv. 25, 1947 42 Sheets-Sheet 2 Arrow/EX Patented Dec. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION CABINET AND EXTENSIBLE TABLE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to an article of furniture, and more particularly io a `furniture unit capable of functioning in a variety of ways as a plurality of articles of furniture.

In a preferred embodiment, the invention relates to a combination desk and table, comprising a base unit having associated therewith a pluralityl of supporting elements which are adapted to be extended from the base unit when the article is to be used as a table, the terminal element having a pair of hinged leaves normally depending from the top thereof and disposable upon the extended supporting elements as a table top, the supporting elements being retractable within the base unit with the unfolded hinged leaves serving as the back of the base unit when it is desired to use the article as a desk.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of an article of furniture of the character indicated having a base unit open at the back to receive the supporting elements in compact, concealed position and which when in collapsed condition may be used as a book case, bar, storage cabinet, chest of drawers, etc.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an article of furniture of the character indicated which may be fabricated easily and inexpensively, which is durable and which maybe readily adiusted to extended and compacted operative positions.

The foregoing objects as well as additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent in the course ofthe following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which illustrate a pref base unit and the unfolded, table top leaves serving as the back of the base unit.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the article showing the supporting elements extended from the base unit to form a table with the unfolded,

hinged, table Lop leaves depending from the top i of the terminal supporting element.

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing thetable top leaves adjusted in final operative position above the supporting elements.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail view Showingthe and bookcase combination.

direction of movement of the collapsible arms in the operation of collapsing or compacting the I supporting elements.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the article in compacted condition illustratingthe arrangement of the supporting elements within the body of the base unit.

Fig. 8 'is a perspective view of the article showing the supporting elements partly extended from the base unit.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail of the rear portion of the article in extended position clearly illustrating the manner of mounting the hinged table top leaves on the terminal supporting element, the intermediate posit-ions of the leaves between their inoperative and operative positions being shown in broken outline.

Figs. 10 and 11 are perspective views showing the supporting units extended from the base unit and illustrating modication `of the articulating connecting links.

Referring to the drawing in greater detail, I0 denotes the base unit of the article of furniture. The base unit may be constructed for use as `a desk, bookcase, cabinet, table or the like although the drawings illustrate the base unit as a desk `It will be clearly understood that the base unit I0 may be in any desired form having a plane top surface and an open back for the purposes of the present invention.

Base unit Il) is shown provided with a pair of recessed compartments I I, I I separated by a horizontal shelf I2 for holding books or the like. 'It will be noted that suicient space is provided between the top, bottom and sides of recessed compartments and the bodyof the base unit to receive the supporting elements I5 in the compacted or collapsed condition of the article, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 7.

A leaf I3 is hinged along the rear edge ofthe top Illa of base unit I0 and acompanion leaf I4 is hinged along the front edge of the top. Thus when front leaf I3 is extended to lie in coplanar `position with respectto top Illa, the article serves conveniently as a desk, as Vshown in Fig. 2. When both leaves I3 and I4 are folded down against top Italgas shown in Fig. l, the article may serve as 5in' the positionof `Figs.'4 and 5 and for retraction therewitl'lin Vas shown inFigs. 3 and 7. Each of the supporting elements I5 may *comprise a pair f of legsl `a'niip'per transverse member Il and a lower transverse member i8. One method of mounting supporting elements i5 involves the use of a series of foldable lower arms IQ interconnecting legs I6 adjacent their bottom and a series of foldable upper arms 2l interconnecting said legs adjacent their tops. As illustrated in Fig. 6, lower arms E9 are foldable in a vertical plane and upper arms 2B are foldable in a horizontal plane as the supporting elements l5 are moved toward each other. Each of the arms i9 comprises a pair of centrally pivoted branches |911 and l9b, and each of the arms 20 comprises a pair of centrally pivoted branches 2530i and Zlib. Of course, other means than said connecting arms may be employed for mounting the supporting elements I5.

The inner half of the top of each leg l5 is preferably cut away to accommodate the foldable upper arms Zl, as shown in Figs. fl, 6, and 8 and the tops of said legs are provided with felts 2| or the like for receiving the table top leaves in a manner to be fully described hereinafter.

A pair of lower brackets 22 may be secured inside base unit l@ for connecting the lower arms I9 and a pair of upper brackets 23 may be used for connecting the upper arms 2S to said base unit (see Fig. 7).

The upper transverse member il of the terminal supporting element i5 carries a pair of rings or eyes 2@ each of which is preferably inclined upwardly at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to slidably engage a substantially U- shaped bracket 25 secured in any suitable manner to the underside of a table top leaf 25, each of the brackets 25 extending longitudinally of the leaf for almost its entire length. A companion table top leaf 2l is hinged as at 2S to leaf 26 along their respective upper horizontal edges. A transverse cleat 29 may be secured adjacent the bottom of legs iii of terminal supporting element for retaining hinged leaves 2in and 2'. in their normal depending position against said terminal element, as clearly shown in Figs. 7 and 9. Cleat 29 may be provided with a recess for the reception of a pin Si) projecting from outer leaf 21 to retain the folded leaves in normal depending position, as clearly shown in Fig. 9. It will also be 'noted that folded leaves 25 and 2'! serve as the back of base unit iii in the compacted or collapsed condition of the article, as shown in Fig. 7.

In order to convert the article to a table, the supporting elements i5 are extended from the base unit iii in the position of Fig. ll. The hinged leaves 2G and 2l are then slid upwardly from their depending position and leaf 26 is then disposed to rest upon the felts 2l of legs I6. Leaf 2'! is then rotated 180 degrees about hinge 23 to be disposed in the same plane with leaf 25. Rear leaf I3 of base unit Iii is also rotated to lie in a position coplanar with hinged leaves 26 and 2T, the leaves 26, 2l, i3, iii and top la serving as the continuous top surface of the extended table, as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

Various other means than that above described may be employed for uniting the supporting frames l5 in expandable and collapsible relation. For instance, lazytongs elements may be used as illustrated in Fig. l1 wherein are shown lazytongs 35 having the terminal bars 35 slidably engaged with guide rods 3l secured to the side of end support Iiib and guide rods 38 secured to the inside of side walls lila of the base i Intermediate guide rods 33 slidably receive eyes (not shown) which extend from the pivot pins 4Q of the articulating links of the lazytongs.

A still further modification is shown in Fig.

wherein the supporting frames Ia are hingedly connected accordion fashion as by hinges 4|, a link 42 extending between each adjacent pair of supporting frames 15a. The links 42 are pivoted at one end to one of the frames, and the adjacent frame is provided with a pin 43 which slides in the slot 44 provided in the links 42. These links serve as stops to limit the extent to which the adjacent support frames may be spread relative to each other. Y

Since various modications may be made in the article of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. An article of furniture comprising a base unit constituting a case having a planar top and an open back, a rear leaf hinged along the rear edge of said top, a front leaf hinged along the front edge of said top, a plurality of supporting elements normally housed within said case, links pivotally interconnecting said supporting elements and said case to render said supporting elements extensible from and retractible within said case through said open back, each of said supporting elements comprising a pair of legs and an upper transverse connecting member, the outer terminal member of said supporting elements carrying a pair of leaves hinged together along their contiguous upper horizontal edges, said hinged leaves being pivotally and slidably supported on said terminal member and normally depending in Vertical position and in face-to-face relation from the top of said terminal supporting element, said pair of leaves being disposable to overlie and to be supported in a horizontal position upon said supporting elements in extended position whereby to form a continuous table top in cooperation with the top and extended front and rear leaves of said base unit.

2. An article of furniture comprising a base unit constituting a case having a planar top and an open back, a rear leaf hinged along the rear edge of said top, a front leaf hinged along the front edge of said top, a plurality of supporting elements normally housed within said case, links pivotally interconnecting said supporting elements and said case to render said supporting elements extensible from and retractible within said case through said open back, each of said supporting elements comprising a pair of legs and an upper transverse connecting member, a pair of rings carried by the transverse member of the outer terminal supporting element, one on each side thereof, a leaf carrying a pair of longitudinally extending U-shaped brackets, one along each end thereof, each of said brackets being slidably retained within one of said rings to normally hold said leaf in depending position and a companion leaf hinged to said rst mentioned leaf along the upper horizontal edge thereof, whereby to dispose said hinged leaves overlying said supporting elements in extended condition to be supported by said supporting elements.

3. An article of manufacture in accordance with claim 1 wherein the interconnecting linkage comprises pairs of centrally pivoted foldable arms disposed adjacent the lower ends of said supporting elements and collapsible in a vertical plane, said supporting elements being further interconnected adjacent their upper ends by pairs 5 of centrally plvoted foldable arms collapsible in- REFERENCES CITED Wardly in @horizontal Plane: The following references are of record in the 4. A11 article of furniture 1n accordance with me of this patent:

claim 2, wherein the interconnecting linkage comprises pairs of centrally pivoted foldable arms 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS disposed adjacent the lower ends of said legs and Number Name Date collapsible in a vertical plane, said legs being 493,479 Carl Mar.. 14, 1893 further interconnected adjacent their upper ends 898,778 Phelan Sept. l5, 1908 by pairs of centrally pivoted foldable arms, said 1,272,983 Menzo July 16, 1918 latter arms being collapsible inwardly in a hox'il0 1,566,200 Giard Dec. 15, 1925 zontal plane. 1,586,707 McLean June 1, 1926 HYMAN MEDWIN. 2,014,257 La Fetra Sept. 10, 1935 2,281,307 Kennedy Apr. 28, 1942 

